Coco: Severely Neglected Goat Recovers at the California Shelter

Kanbar and Coco goats at Farm Sanctuary

Coco: Severely Neglected Goat Recovers at the California Shelter

When Officer Art Ferrario approached the residence about which a concerned neighbor had called Merced County Animal Control, he was dismayed to see that the caller’s report was all too accurate.

Tethered by the neck outside the California home was an extremely emaciated 5-year-old female goat with overgrown hooves and enlarged udders resulting from an advanced case of mastitis. The suffering animal immediately gained the officer’s sympathy, bolstering his determination to help her.

The man who owned the home in question claimed that he had purchased the goat only two weeks earlier from a nearby farm. Officer Ferrario, however, was skeptical that someone would have bought a goat in such dire condition and not immediately brought her to a veterinarian. An investigation of the farm where the goat was allegedly purchased to assess the relative condition of the herd of origin is underway, and it is our hope that whoever was responsible for this goat’s deteriorated condition will be prosecuted for animal cruelty and brought to justice.

The good news is that Coco’s life began to turn around after Officer Ferrario took her into custody, for she is now truly loved and cared for at Farm Sanctuary’s California Shelter. However, though she was brought to the hospital for treatment soon after her arrival and returned to the sanctuary on the same day, Coco is certainly not out of the woods yet. An abscess about the size of a volleyball makes up the right side of her udder, and she has another smaller one on her jaw. Plus, her body is infested inside and out with parasites which have severely lowered her red blood cell count. Coco will eventually need surgery to remove the right side of her udder, so we are now doing everything possible to ensure she is strong and healthy enough to get through the pending operation, and we are in need of your help.

Coco's Story: A Goat's Journey to Health & Happiness
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Transcript

Hi. You wanna go outside? Come on, Coco.


[MUSIC PLAYING]


Come on, Coco. So this is Coco goat. She was rescued in May of 2009. And animal control received a call from a citizen about a goat who was tethered around the neck and in really bad shape. So animal control went out to check it out. And unfortunately, what they found is that everything the citizen reported was true.


She was tied up, she was emaciated, very thin, overgrown hooves, had a very severe infection in her udders that was really obvious. It was about a volleyball size mass, covered in lice. And so they-- because of her poor condition, they took her and they rescued her. And then they called us to see if we would be able to bring her here and give her a home, which we gladly accepted.


Definitely, her goat personality has come through. And once she started feeling better, she started climbing up on her salt block and climbing up on the walls of her stall to get treats. And she's just definitely-- her personality has changed a lot since she came here.


[MUSIC PLAYING]


She has made a full recovery. And she's doing very, very well. So it just took proper feed and treatments and medication in order to get her healthy. It's-- she wasn't a loss cause.


[MUSIC PLAYING]

As our shelters are currently facing major expenses for repairs and maintenance, we are greatly in need of compassionate people like you to help us respond to special cases like Coco’s and give survivors like her the second chance they deserve. When these animals are in need of extensive healthcare and surgeries to save their lives, the financial burden on our shelters is even greater. That’s why Coco needs you. By becoming Coco’s sponsor, your contribution will help ensure that this special girl gets everything she needs to really begin to thrive, as we are hopeful that, with the surgery and the right treatments, she will be able to make a full recovery.

Right now, Coco is still very thin, but she has a good appetite — and lots of opportunities to eat, because the hospital stall where she is currently convalescing is right next to the shelter’s produce refrigerators, and staff are always feeding her scrumptious snacks as they pass by, treating her to everything she was cruelly denied at her former residence. We are also administering antibiotics to fight the infections along with medication to overcome the parasites that are plaguing her system and monitoring her closely for any signs of distress. It is our greatest hope that, after her surgery and a period of recovery, Coco will be introduced to a whole herd of new friends with whom she can spend her days grazing, socializing and exploring — thanks to the loving support of those who invest in her future now by sponsoring her care.

Even though just weeks ago Coco faced a painful present and an uncertain future, today she is beginning to exude a soothing calm and reveal her sweet demeanor to everyone she meets. Farm Sanctuary California Shelter Director Leanne Cronquist said “It is especially heartbreaking when goats like Coco are mistreated because they are such naturally social animals who love to run and play with other goats. But that also makes rescuing neglected goats especially joyful occasions, because they are so clearly ecstatic at finally finding refuge.”

Farm Sanctuary is only able to save and bring joy to the lives of animals like Coco because of the generosity of people like you. If you can help us ensure that this sweet, deserving goat has every chance at a bright future, learn more about our Adopt-A-Farm-Animal Project online or by calling 607-583-2225 ext. 225 and sign up to become her “adoptive parent.” We, and Coco, will never forget the gift you make today to see her through this critical time.